What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up earlier than desired and being unable to return to sleep. It can also involve sleep that does not feel refreshing, even after spending enough time in bed.

Most people experience occasional sleep disruption, but insomnia becomes a clinical concern when sleep difficulties occur regularly and begin to affect daytime functioning. This can include fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, and reduced overall quality of life.

Insomnia is often maintained by a cycle of sleep-related anxiety and behavioral patterns that unintentionally interfere with the body’s natural sleep system. For example, spending excessive time in bed, clock-watching, or worrying about not sleeping can increase arousal and make sleep more difficult over time.

One of the most effective, evidence-based treatments for chronic insomnia is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). CBT-I helps individuals retrain sleep patterns, reduce sleep-related anxiety, and develop healthier behaviors and beliefs around sleep.

The goal of treatment is not to “force” sleep, but to restore the body’s natural ability to fall and stay asleep more consistently and comfortably.